The Working Practices Group meet occasionally to discuss matters related to Parish Council policy and procedure and also employment matters. The Group make recommendation to the Finance & Community Committee prior to consideration and adoption of policies and documents.
Working Practices -Terms of Reference 2023.24
Working Practices Group Terms of Reference
Main Function:
To ensure there is an undertaking to review and amend where necessary all of SPC’s policy, procedure and protocol documents as well as checking that SPC Risk Assessments are reviewed and updated where appropriate.
Members on the SPC Working Practices Group for the municipal year 2023/24 are as follows: Cllr Norcross, Cllr Hanson, Cllr M Alexander, Cllr Balance & Cllr S Alexander.
Terms of Reference:
To review Council policy documents in accordance with statutory regulation such as the Local Government Act 1972 and other acts, regulations and advice from bodies such as NALC, SLCC and WSALC. Where possible ‘model’ documentation should be used in the first instance, with then specific SPC arrangements agreed and added as necessary. This covers documents such as: – Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, Code of Conduct, Dispensation Scheme, Scheme of Members Allowances, Scheme of Delegation, Discipline and Grievance Procedures.
Review of Protocols, that is – Confidential information communication, use of IT and Emails, and other policies to maintain good working relationships with Councillors, Staff and the general public including Dignity at Work, Councillor/Staff Protocol and Code of Practice for Handling Complaints.
To ensure the Council’s Health and Safety Policy is reviewed and updated in accordance with latest legislation such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and this should include the annual review of SPC Risk Assessments.
To ensure the Council’s Data Protection Polices are in accordance with statutory advice, such as the 2015 Local Government Transparency Code, the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and that the associated policies are reviewed when further advice becomes available. This covers documents such as: the Freedom of Information Policy, the Data Protection Policy, the Data Breach Notification Policy, the CCTV Policy and Code of Practice, the Subject Access Request Policy and the Document Retention and Disposal Policy.
Agreed by SPC Full Council at their meeting of 18.09.23